Today was one of those rare days when we had no place to go on our schedule. Nicole did have a recording session at noon today, but it was in the comfort of her own room, thanks to pal Daniel Guaqueta. Nic has done voice over work in the past, and wants to get back into it. Seems logical, as there is absolutely nothing wrong with her voice! Daniel is helping her make a CD that she can send to ad agencies, etc. in hopes of getting work.
I made lunch for everyone, and Joe joined us on the patio. It was really nice out, and we enjoyed a big lunch of tilapia, roasted vegetables and wild rice. I even made bread pudding for dessert. Afterwards, Daniel and Nicole got to work, and I spent the afternoon writing articles for Portico and the Jackson FYI section that will be coming out soon in The Clarion-Ledger.
Not having to load up in the car and be somewhere on time was such a joy today. Taking Nicole somewhere is kind of like taking a toddler--load up her bag, and corral her into the car. I don't mind it, but I enjoy the rare times when I don't have to do it.
Just as I was settling in for some relaxing couch time, Nicole suggested we go to the movies. We had both been wanting to see "The Soloist," so we decided to get up and go. We made it just in time and enjoyed the film. It was somewhat disturbing, because it showed the reality of homelessness in L.A. (We learned there are over 90,000 homeless people in L.A. alone.) Robert Downey, Jr. played a journalist with the L.A. times who "discovered" a down-and-out mentally ill musician played by Jamie Fox. They both did an incredible and believeable job in the film. I thought it would be a little more uplifting, a la "Mr. Holland's Opus," but it really wasn't. Instead, the lesson seemed to be that we should sometimes simply learn to accept things as they are and roll with it.
I couldn't help but think about Nicole, and how throughout her ordeal, we have never really "accepted" her current situation. Instead, we all expect more from her, and she expects more from herself. She is pushing her body so hard and doing all she can to get back to normal.
My mom continues to improve, very slowly, at Wisteria Gardens in Pearl. She's in a "swing bed" there, and going to therapy for a couple of hours each day. They are having her sit up in a chair for longer periods of time. Today it was almost five hours. She's just so very weak, and can't do much at all on her own. I'm praying that her appetite will improve, and that she'll get stronger so that she can be more independent. I went to see her the other day and she said she wanted her walls decorated like Josh decorated the walls in Nicole's hospital rooms. I'm going to take some photos to the hospital this weekend to tape to the wall. I think that will help perk her up a bit!
I'm hoping for a relaxed weekend as we prepare for Nicole's surgery on Monday. She'll be checking into River Oaks Monday morning, where she'll have plastic surgery on several of her scars, including the trach scar on her neck. We're not sure if she'll have to stay overnight--it really just depends how the surgery goes and how she does.
It's 10:30pm as I write this, and Nic and Joe just left about 45 minutes ago to go hear a band at Martin's. I don't get it...she's been up longer than me, and I'm ready to hit the sack. Oh, to be young again.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicolemarquez
Blessings to all who read this!
Susan
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